Microsoft confirms Windows 10 will ship with DirectX 12 - and you can test it today

Gives devs a dozen reasons to grab the Technical Preview

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Microsoft has bolstered Windows 10's gaming chops from the get-go by confirming that its upcoming OS will ship with the latest version of its graphics API, DirectX 12 (DX12).

In a post on the DirectX Developer blog, Microsoft wrote that developers signed up to its DX12 Early Access Program can get hold of "updated runtime, API headers, drivers, documentation, and samples" by joining the Windows Insider Program and downloading the recently-outed Windows 10 Technical Preview.

The company also announced that it has partnered with Epic to port a new version of the game studio's Unreal Engine 4.4 to DX12 that can be downloaded and tested by developers.

Microsoft has been working with Intel to improve performance of its integrated graphics solutions. The pair recently showed off DX12's lower power drain and higher frame capabilities (compared to DX11) by rendering 50,000 asteroids colliding in space on Intel's HD4400, and Early Access subscribers can now download the source code to see how it was done, Microsoft wrote.